Steam, Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye | 1 Hit WONDERful

In the seventh edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2026), we highlight “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye,” the enduring number one hit by Steam. 

It only takes ONE hit to solidify a musical legacy 💯! On 1 Hit WONDERful, we highlight songs that were the SOLE hit by a given musician.  It is possible that the artists appearing on this list earned a minor hit or two, BUT for the most part, that ONE hit earned them recognition. So, in the seventh edition of 1 Hit WONDERful (2026), we dive into “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye”, the one-hit wonder by Steam.

One word: ICONIC! Those lyrics hail from the beloved Steam classic, “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye”.  We most often sing those goodbye lyrics at a sporting event as we send the losers on their way home, ha-ha-ha 😈! “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” marked the Steam’s sole top 40 hit. It’s a bummer they had no more substantial hits. Still, “Na Na…” spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 at the end of 1969.  Gary DeCarlo (1942 – 2017), the lead singer, Paul Leka (1943 – 2011), and Dale Frashuer (1939 – 1998) wrote the song.  Leka produced it.  The most famous part is the chorus, performed by gang vocals, which is tuneful and memorable to the nth degree.

Still, “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” is more than its chorus.  The infectious groove is one of the biggest selling points.  This groove is a surefire catalyst for your body movement of choice. And those psychedelic pop/rock sounds… well, they are sure a vibe! The energy is electrifying from the jump, with the chorus rightfully kicking things off. Gary DeCarlo does a fine job performing the lead vocals during the verses.  While we talk less about the verses, generally, they are also noteworthy and tuneful.  The vocals are kinder and gentler, contrasting the more dynamic chorus.  “He’ll never love you the way that I love you,” DeCarlo sings in the first verse, and concludes, “‘Cause if he did, no, no, he wouldn’t make you cry.” Word.  The second verse is penned similarly – this dude is not the one, baby! In the pre-chorus, DeCarlo pleads his case: “He might be thrillin’ baby but a-my love /… So doggone willin’, so kiss him / Go on and kiss him goodbye.” Woo!  A four-minute-plus song, much of the ending of “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” focuses on that irresistible groove and of course, that irresistible chorus. The outro finds DeCarlo riffin’, leading with the background vocals faithfully reiterating that ever-unforgettable refrain.  Yeah, they only had one hit, but Steam ensured their sole hit kicked ass and took names!

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Various Artists » 60’s Gold » Universal Music Enterprises / UMG Recordings, Inc. » 2006

Steam, Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye: 1 Hit WONDERful No. 7 (2026) [📷: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Universal Music Enterprises / UMG Recordings, Inc.; Alexa Popovich, cottonbro studio, ds rexy, Thomas Ronveaux from Pexels; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Gordon Johnson from Pixabay]

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